Lecture - 03

IC Engines

Department of Mechanical Engineering 1

 Engine Operating Cycles

Department of Mechanical Engineering 2

Spark Ignition Engine (SI Engine)

Department of Mechanical Engineering 3

Spark Ignition Engine (SI Engine)

 The petrol engines work on the principle of “OTTO CYCLE”, also known as constant
Volume cycle.

 The engines operating on this cycle use either petrol or other spirit fuels or the gases
such as LPG/CNG as their fuels.

 Spark Ignition engines are also called petrol engines.

Department of Mechanical Engineering 4

Working of 4-stroke Petrol/SI Engine

 In a 4-Stroke petrol engine, the charge is admitted to the engine cylinder is a

homogeneous mixture of petrol and air.

 Depending on the load on the engine, the fuel and air is mixed in proper proportions
and sent in to the cylinder by a popular device known as “carburetor”.

 In a 4-stroke petrol engine there are four main events taking place:

o Suction
o Compression
o Power or Expansion
o Exhaust

 Each event is performed in a single stroke of the piston.

Department of Mechanical Engineering 5

Intake Stroke (Suction)

 During the intake stroke, the piston moves down ward, drawing a fresh charge of
vaporized fuel-air mixture, This operation is represented by the line AB on the P-V
diagram.

Department of Mechanical Engineering 6

Compression Stroke
 During compression stroke, the piston moves from BDC to TDC, thus compressing air
petrol mixture. Due to compression, the pressure and temperature are increased and
is shown by the line BC on the P- V diagram. Just before the end of this stroke the
spark-plug initiates a spark which ignites the mixture and combustion takes place at
constant volume as shown by the line CD.

Department of Mechanical Engineering 7

Working/Power Stroke (Expansion)

 The expansion of gases due to the heat of combustion exerts a pressure on the piston.
Under this impulse, the piston moves from TDC to BDC and thus the work is obtained
in this stroke as shown by the line DE.

Department of Mechanical Engineering 8

Exhaust Stroke
 At the end of the power stroke, the exhaust valve is opened & greater part of the burnt
gases escapes because of their own expansion. The drop in pressure at constant
volume is represented by the line EB. During this stroke the piston moves from BDC to
TDC and pushes the remaining gases to the atmosphere. This stroke is represented
the line BA on the P-V diagram.

Department of Mechanical Engineering 9

PV Diagram for SI Engine / Otto Cycle Engine

Department of Mechanical Engineering 10

Spark Ignition Engine (SI Engine)

Department of Mechanical Engineering 11

PV Diagram for SI Engine / Otto Cycle Engine

Department of Mechanical Engineering 12

Diesel Engines (CI Engines)

 Diesels come in two stroke and four stroke versions and operate much like the
gasoline driven engines.

 Diesels have a greater compression ratio than gasoline engines.

o Diesel 16:1 – 20:1

o Gasoline 6:1 – 10:1

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTAUq6G9apg&ab_channel=AutomotiveBasics

Department of Mechanical Engineering 13

Working of 4-stroke Diesel/CI Engine

 The basic construction of a four stroke diesel engine is same as that of four stroke
petrol engine.

 Except that instead of a spark plug, a FUEL INJECTOR is mounted in its space. Fuel
injector injects the fuel in to the cylinder as a fine spray at very high pressure

 In case of diesel engine, the air enters the inside the cylinder during suction, and it will
get compressed during the compression stroke. (i.e. charge is only air).

 At the end of the compression stroke the diesel is injected in to the cylinder in the
form of fine spray.

 When this fine spray diesel comes in contact with hot air in the cylinder, it auto ignites
and results in a combustion of injected diesel fuel.

 Since ignition in these engines is due to the temperature of the compressed air, they
are also called compression ignition engines.

Department of Mechanical Engineering 14

Intake Stroke (Suction)

 During the intake stroke, the piston moves down ward, drawing a fresh charge [AIR].
This operation is represented by the line AB on the P-V diagram.

Department of Mechanical Engineering 15

Compression Stroke
 During compression stroke, the piston moves from BDC to TDC, thus compressing air.
Due to compression, the pressure and temperature are increased and is shown by the
line BC on the P- V diagram. Just before the end of this stroke, a metered quantity of
Diesel is injected into the hot compressed air in the form of fine sprays by means of
fuel injector. The fuel starts burning at constant pressure shown by the line CD.

Department of Mechanical Engineering 16

Working/Power Stroke (Expansion)

 The expansion of gases due to the heat of combustion exerts a pressure on the piston.
Under this impulse, the piston moves from TDC to BDC and thus the work is obtained
in this stroke as shown by the line DE.

Department of Mechanical Engineering 17

Exhaust Stroke
 At the end of the power stroke, the exhaust valve is opened & greater part of the burnt
gases escapes because of their own expansion. The drop in pressure at constant
volume is represented by the line EB. During this stroke the piston moves from BDC to
TDC and pushes the remaining gases to the atmosphere. This stroke is represented
the line BA on PV-diagram.

Department of Mechanical Engineering 18

PV Diagram for SI Engine / Otto Cycle Engine

Department of Mechanical Engineering 19

SI Engine

Department of Mechanical Engineering 20

SI Engine vs CI Engine

Description SI Engine CI Engine

Basic Works on Otto cycle or Constant Works on Diesel cycle or constant

Cycle Volume heat addition cycle pressure heat addition

Diesel oil, non-volatile fuel. Self

Gasoline, highly volatile fuel. Self
Fuel ignition temperature is
ignition temperature is high
comparatively low.

A gaseous mixture of fuel air is Fuel is injected directly into the

introduced during the suction combustion chamber at high
Introductio
stroke. A carburetor and an ignition pressure at the end of the
n of Fuel
system are necessary. compression stroke. A fuel pump
Gasoline injection and injector are necessary.

Load Throttle controls the quantity of fuel- The quantity of fuel is regulated. Air
Control air mixture introduced. quantity is not controlled.

Department of Mechanical Engineering 21

SI Engine vs CI Engine

Description SI Engine CI Engine

Requires an ignition system with
Self ignition due to high temperature
spark plug in the combustion
air because of the high
Ignition chamber. Primary voltage is
compression. Ignition system and
provided by either battery or a
spark plug not required
magneto
Compressi 6-10. Upper limit is fixed by 16-20. Upper limit is limited by
on Ratio antiknock quality of the fuel weight increase of the engine

Due to lightweight and homogenous Due to heavyweight and also due to

Speed combustion, they are very high heterogeneous combustion, they are
speed engine low speed engine

Because of high CR, thermal

Because of low CR, thermal
Thermal efficiency that can be obtained is
efficiency that can be obtained is
Efficiency higher
lower

Department of Mechanical Engineering 22

 Any Questions?

Department of Mechanical Engineering 23